Coil stripping apparatus



Dec. 13, 1960 F. A. RAY ET AL con. STRIPPING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 27, 1956 George 7: Myers ATTORNEY BY O 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTORS is A. Ray

ATTORNEY Deco 13, 1960 F. A. RAY ET AL conJ STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed sept. 27, 1956 Geo/'ye 7.' Myers Dec. 13, 1960 F. A. RAY ET AL C011. STRIPPING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sepl'.. 27, 1956 w. .um

INVENTORS F-an cis 4. Ray George 7:/V/ yers wif,

ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1960 F. A. RAY x-:T A1. 2,964,203

i coIL STRIPPING APPARATUS Filed Sepl'.. 27, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 l 1N VENTORS` L, @anc/'s /Pdy George 7. Myers l \1- ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1960 Filed Sept. 27, 1956 F. A. RAY ET AL COIL STRIPPING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 1NvENToRs Franc/s 4. Pay George 7.' M yers www.

ATTORNEY Dec. 13, 1960 F. A. RAY ETAL conJ STRIPPING 'APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 1NVENT0RS Franc/'.5 ay 6e orge 7'; Myers MAL Filed Sept. 27, 1956 Mlm ATTORNEY nted States Patentv` f COIL STRIPPING APPARATUS Francis A. Ray and George T. Myers, Baltimore, Md., assignors to Bethlehem Steel Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 27, 1956, Ser. No. 612,488

Claims. (Cl. 214-130) This invention relates to coil handling apparatus upon which heavy and sometimes very hot coils of metal rod or wire are deposited on an upright member or spider which is thereafter tilted to horizontal position and the coils are stripped from said member.

It is an object of the invention to provide a strong and rugged coil tilting and stripping apparatus which comprises a single unit having its own base and adapted to be located wherever desired without special foundations.

Another object is to provide rapid, safe and dependable means for clamping, raising and lowering the initial coil receiving member.

Another object is to provide suitable carriage means for withdrawing said initial coil receiving member from the coils.

Another object is to provide fluid pressure means for locking the carriage means.

Another object is to provide magnetic means for hold- .ingthe coils in position while the initial coil receiving member is being Withdrawn.

` Another object is to provide means for adjusting the apparatus to handle coils of a large range of diameters without inconvenience or ditliculty.

Still other objects, purposes and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the specification, claims, and drawings.

In the six (6) sheets of drawings hereto annexed:

Fig. l is a broken side elevation of the coil stripper, partly in section, showing the tilting frame in vertical position for the reception of the wire coils onto the spider;

Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of the coil stripper, showing the tilting frame lowered and the wire coils still on the spider;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken through the runout track on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a broken longitudinal vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5, showing the spider clamped in place and the coils stripped therefrom;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the coil stripper;

Fig. 6 is an end view, partly in section, of the coil stripper;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail View showing the mounting of one of the magnets;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the runout frame showing the clamping mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a broken detail view of one of the movable side wall sections, with the stripper plate being shown in section; and

Figs. l0 and l1 are transverse vertical sections showing the means for adjusting the side wall sections to accommodate coils of small or large diameters.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a strong and rigid rectangular base frame conventionally fabricated of welded steel plates and I-beams. Said base frame 1 supports a pair of upright pedestals 2 and 2', one on each side, of welded plate members. On separate base plate members 3 and 4 beside one of the pedestals 2 are mounted a large reversible electric motor 5 having an integral disc brake' and a shaft 6 connected by a coupling 7 to a gear reducer 8. The output shaft 9 of said gear reducer 8 is connected by a coupling 10 to a long drive shaft 11 journaled in pillow blocks 12 and 12' on each side of the base frame 1 (see Figs. 5 and 6). 13 and 13' are secured on the opposite ends of the drive shaft 11.

Mounted on the base frame 1 adjacent the pedestals 2 and 2' are a pair of low welded steel stands 14 and 14' each supporting a bearing block 15 or 15 in alignment with a bearing 16 or 16' in the adjacent pedestal 2 or 2.

Pinion shafts 17 and 17' are journaled in companion having adjustable chain tightening sprockets 21fand 21" and conventional chain guards (not shown).

Atop the pedestals 2 and 2' are bearings 22 and 22',

in which are journaled trunnions 23 and 23 to which are aixed the large gear segments 24 and 24' meshing with the pinions 18 or 18. Said trunnions 23 and 23' are attached within heavy tubular members 25 and 25 to a large box-like open tilting frame 26 having a flat bottom 27 and upright sides 28 of welded steel plates.

Extending transversely between opposite bushings 29 in said sides 28 are guide bars 30 and 30', whereon are slidably positioned pairs of lugs 31 and 31 supporting the bottom plates 32 and 32' of the counterpart halves 33 and 33 of a coil supporting cradle. Said cradle halves have inner side walls with vertical upper portions 34 and 34' and inwardly sloping lower portions 35 and 35 for supporting the wire coils (shown in dotted circular outlines), and vertical end walls 36 and 36' formed with a circular central opening 37 and having a pair of strong permanent magnets 38 and 38 attached thereon by bolts 39 (Fig. 7) for the purpose of holding an annular stripper plate 40 tightly thereto.

To permit adjusting the cradle sides to different diameters of coils, as in Figs. l0 and l1, oppositely threaded nuts 41 and 41' atxed beneath the bottom plates 32 and 32 are engaged with the mating threaded ends of the rod 42 journaled in bearing blocks 43 and 43 and rotatable by hand wheel 44.

Welded longitudinally beneath the bottom 27 of tilting frame 26 are a pair of inwardly facing spaced channels 45 and 45', reinforced by triangular side plates 46 and 46 and inner top and bottom bars 47 and 47', constituting a trackway beneath which are aflixed the downwardly facing toothed racks 48 and 48.

As shown in Fig. 3, a pair of triangular frames 49 and 49 of welded rolled sections mounted on the base frame 1 will provide support for an extension trackway of channels 50 and 50 and inner bars 51 and 51' in direct alignment with the first-described trackway on the tilting frame 26 when in horizontal position. End stops 52 and 53 are provided at the outer end of the extension track-way.

A runout frame or carriage 54 (Fig. 8) mounted on axles S5 and flanged wheels 56 is adapted to be reciprocated along the combined lengths of the trackways by a reversible electric motor 57, said motor having an integral disc brake and being suspended by spring bolts 58 beneath the runout frame 54 and having shafts 59 and 59 extending through bearing blocks 60 and 60' and having terminally aixed thereto pinions 61 and 61' meshing with the racks 48 and 48.

Atop the forward end of the runout frame 54 is a reinforced upright plate support 62 (see Fig. 4) on which a welded bracket 63 provides suspension for an air motoi Patented Dec. 13, 1960 Double drive sprocketsV 64 connected by a flexible coupling 65 to a vertical clamping screw 66 having right hand and left hand threads at its opposite ends and journaled in upper and lower bearing blocks 67 and 68.. Said` clamping screw 66 engages, sets of mating threadsY in. a slidably mounted split clamp 6,9 having a circumferential slot 70 adapted to engage an inwardly extending circumferential flange 71 on a conventional cylindrical spider or mandrel 72.

Adjacent the forward end of said runout frame S4 is a dependent bracket 73 supporting an air cylinder 74 on which the piston rod 75 is connected by a clevis 76 to a locking pin 77 normally retracted as in Fig. 4 within the guide block 78 on said runout frame 54. It is necessary for the locking pin 77 to be extended upward into the locking block 79 on the tilting frame 26, however, so that the tilting frame 26 and the runout frame 54 will be locked together, before they can be raised to the vertical position shown in Fig. l. The supply of compressed air from any suitable source to air motor 64 and air cylinder 74 is selectively controlled by valves (not shown).

The raising and lowering of the tilting frame 26, and the advance and return of the runout carriage 54, are controlled at the end of each cycle by limit switches. Thus, the roller arm 80 of the limit switch 31, mounted on the base bracket 82, is tripped by contact with the sloping plate bracket 83 beneath the forward end of the runout carriage 54 and stops the tilting motor 5 when the tilting frame 26 has been raised to vertical position (Fig. l); and the tilting motor S is stopped again when the tilting frame 26 has returned to horizontal position and the depending trip plate 84 on the tilting frame 26 (Fig. 6) has actuated the limit switch 85 on bracket 86 on the pedestal 2. Oppositely sloping brackets S7 and 88 on each side of the forward end of the runout carriage 54 adjacent to the upper reinforcing plates 39 and 89' will trip the limit switch 90 on the runout trackway or the limit switch 91 on the tilting frame 26, so as to stop the runout motor 57 when the runout carriage 54 has reached its point of full advance (Figs. 4 and 5) or full retraction (Fig. 2). The machine may also be stopped at any point in its operating cycle by manual controls of conventional type.

In typical operation, with the locking pin 77 holding the runout frame 54 securely in place on the tilting frame 26 in the Vertical position, a spider 72, loaded with coils of wire which have been previously annealed or otherwise treated, is delivered by a crane (not shown) and deposited in vertical position (Fig. l) on the platform plate support 62. The air motor 64 will cause the clamp 69 to grip the spider 72 on its inner flange 71, and will automatically stall when the clamp is in locked position. Upon actuation of the tilting motor 5, the gear segment drive will rotate the unit from vertical to horizontal in approximately six seconds. The position of the limit switches and associated relays (not shown) will prevent motivation of the carriage traverse drive while the tilting frame 26 is still elevated.

With the tilting frame 26 in horizontal position and Ithe clamp 69 still gripping the spider 72 before Unthreading as in Fig. 2, the tilting motor is stopped, the locking pin 77 is withdrawn, and the runout motor 57 is started and causes the runout frame 54 to withdraw the spider 72 from the wire coils. The runout motor 57 having stopped, the wire coils are left supported on the adjustable cradle halves 331-33', ready for pickup by a pin hook, fork lift truck, or the like, as in Fig. 4. The stripper plate 40 is held in position by the magnets 38-38', which are adjustable with the sidewise movement of the cradle halves 33--33 to satisfy differences in coil and stripper plate diameters. After removal of the coils from the cradle, the return horizontal movement of the runout frame 54 will rethread the empty spider 72 through the stripper plate 40. The tilting motor circuit, as will be understood, will be held open and inactive by the limit switches and relays for the duration of the described horizontal in and out traverse of the runout frame 54. Upon return of the tilting frame 26 to the vertical position, the empty spider 72 may conveniently be removed and replaced with another loaded spider.

It will be observed that this machine is very strongly constructed and is a completely self-contained unit, having its own base and integral driving mechanism. It can readily be moved from place to place as may be necessitated by changes in plant layout, without requiring any special foundations or floor alterations or excavations for pits.

Although the invention has been shown and described hereinabove in considerable detail, it is not intended to have it narrowly limited thereby, but there may also be used all such modifications, substitutions or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope and spirit of the invention or as are pointed out in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A coil stripping apparatus comprising av base, a frame tiltably mounted above said base, aA coil receiving cradle on the frame, a. trackway on the frame, a coil support member movable on said trackway, and means, for retaining the coil on the cradle while the support member is being withdrawn from the coil.

2. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a 4frame pivotally mounted above the base, means for rotating said frame through substantially a coil receiving cradle on the frame, a longitudinal .trackway secured to the frame, an extension trackway on the base, a carriage adapted to be reciprocated on both said trackways, a coil support member on the carriage, and means for retaining the coil in the cradle While the support mem.- ber is lbeing withdrawn.

3. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a frame tiltably mounted above the base, a cradle having laterally adjustable sides and end plates mounted on said frame, a longitudinal trackway secured to the frame, an extension trackway on the base, a carriage adapted to tbe reciprocated on both said trackways, and a mandrel adapted tot be inserted and removed between the end plates.

4. A coil stripping apparatus comrising a base, a frame tiltably mounted above said base, guide rods extending traversely across the frame, a screw with oppositely threaded ends extending parallel to the guide rods, a handwheel on one end of said screw, a cradle having inwardly sloping side Walls and oriiiced end plates mounted for sliding movement on the guide rods and adjustable to and from each other by said screw, magnets on said end plates, a stripper plate adhering to the magnets, a trackway on the base, and a coil support member movable on the trackway for withdrawal from the coil.

5. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a ybase, pedestals on said base, trunnions rotatably mounted on said pedestals, a frame secured to said trunnions, gear segments also secured to the trunnions, gears engaging the gear segments, a motor mounted on the base, a shaft driven by said motor, chain and sprocket means operatively connecting the shaft to the gears, limit switch means connected to the motor and actuated at the ends of travel between vertical and horizontal positions of the frame, a coil receiving cradle on the frame, a trackway beneath the frame, an extension trackway on the base, a carriage adapted to be reciprocated on both said trackways, a coil support member on the carriage, and means for retaining the coil in the cradle while the support member is being withdrawn.

6. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a frame tiltably mounted above the base, aA trackway beneath said frame, rack means beneath the trackway, an extension trackway mounted on the base, a wheeled carriage movable on both said ti'ackways, a motor attached to said carriage, pinion means driven -by said motor and meshing with said rack, limit switch means connected to the motor and actuated at either end of carriage travel on the trackways, a coil support member on the carriage, -a coil receiving cradle on the frame, and means on the cradle for holding the coil therein when the support member is withdrawn from the coil.

7. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a frame tiltably mounted on said base, a cradle on said frame, a trackway beneath the frame, a carriage movable on said trackway, iluid pressure operated means for locking lthe carriage in position on said trackway, means for rotating the carriage between vertical and horizontal positions, an extension trackway connecting with the rst-mentioned trackway, means for reciprocating the carriage on the trackways, a coil support members on the carriage, and means for retaining the coil on the cradle during withdrawal of the support member lby the carriage.

8. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a frame tiltably mounted on said base, a cradle on said frame, a trackway on the base, a carriage movable on said trackway, an upright support on one end of said carriage, a motor mounted on said support, an oppositely threaded screw rotatable by said motor, expansible clamping means actuated by said screw and mounted on said support, a mandrel adapted to -be held by said clamping means, a cradle adjacent to the trackway, and means permitting withdrawal of the mandrel from coils on the cradle.

9. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a base, a framework mounted in said base for rotation about a horizontal axis, a coil-receiving cradle mounted in said framework, means for adjusting the width of said cradle to accommodate coils of varying diameter, a carriage in said framework, means on said carriage for releasably clamping a coil mandrel thereto, and means for reciprocating said carriage whereby to withdraw a coil mandrel from a coil deposited on said cradle.

10. A coil stripping apparatus comprising a mandrel adapted to hold a plurality of coils thereon while the mandrel is in substantially vertical position, a separate rotatable support to which the mandrel is clamped, mechanism for rotating the support and the mandrel with the coils thereon to substantially horizontal position, means for withdrawing the mandrel from the coils, means for holding the coils stationary during the withdrawal of the mandrel and a receptacle for the stripped coils.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 798,918 Mcllvried Sept. 5, 1905 2,135,890 Gedge Nov. 8, 1938 2,207,648 Wick July 9, 1940 2,207,893 Nash et al. July 16, 1940 2,256,975 Eddy et al. Sept. 23, 1941 2,467,555 Hornbostel et al Apr. 19, 1949 2,567,819 Matteson et al. Sept. 11, 1951 2,711,832 Cigliano June 28, 1955 

